Rib fabric and method of making the same



Oct. 30, 1934. w L, sum- JR I 1,979,233

RIB FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Oct. 14, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet l [ZS/VENTflR:

I WLLf/IM L.SMITHTIE By 2? ATTy.

stocking or half hose.

Patented Oct. 30, 1934- umreo STATES PATENT OFFICE William L. Smith,Jr., Pawtucket, R. L, assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R.I., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 14, 1931, SerialNo. 568,759

16 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved knitted stocking or halfhose having, preferably, a one and one or other rib knitted leg as wellas a one and one rib knitted instep, the sole portion of the stockingbeing knitted plain although reinforced by means of an additional threadknitted in the said sole portion. only, that is, not being knitted inthe rib instep; the invention also including a method or methods ofknitting the rib Furthermore, while in the following descriptionreference will be made to a stocking or half hose, nevertheless theinvention, in its broader aspects is applicable to the knitting offabric other than stockings or half hose.

In the drawings: 3

Fig. 1 is a conventional View of a stocking or half hose;

Fig. 2 is a view in section of a tubular fabric knitted in accordancewith the present invention and showing one-half, more or less, of thewales knitted plain, i. e., without rib stitches, and the otherhalf,more or less, of the wales being knitted of one and one rib stitches thestitches being laid fiat more clearly to show the construction of thefabric;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the disposition of rib and plainneedles, preferably dial and cylinder needles, to effectthe'knitting ofthe fabric disclosed inthe other "figures, the dial and cylinderneedles'being shown in'substantially the same plane insteadof rightangles to each other more clearly toshow the relation of the said dialand cylinder needles; and

Figs. 6 and 6a are more or less diagrammatic *views showing how some "ofthe plain needles which are between rib needles drawtheir stitches overadjacent sin'kers and'the" shanks of adjacent dial needles.

The'stocking or half hose, which ispreferably,

though not necessarily, knitted from the toe-to the top, isindicatedgenera-lly bythe numeral 1 :andincliides an all ribbed leg 2composed of one and 'oneribbed stitches, a one and one or other ribbedinstep 3, a high splice 4 and a double sole 5, as well as-anydesired-form of'heel Band. toe .7.

When knitting fabric such as seamless stockings having rib insteps andreinforced high splices and double soles, the reinforcing thread or yarnknitted by the high splice and double sole needles, frequently is alsoknitted into the fabric by a few of the adjacent rib needles especiallyon the side of the stocking where the double sole and high splice threadis withdrawn from feeding relation with respect to the needles, at whichplaces, some of the rib needles may engage and knit the high splice anddouble sole thread intothe fabric before the thread guide which feedssuch thread to the needles has been completelywithdrawn from suchfeeding relation. In order to overcome this ob fiection, the dialneedles are specially manipulated in a manner more specifically to bedescribed hereinafter.

The stocking or half hose herein shown is composed of at least one bodythread 8 which body thread is preferably knitted by substantially all ofthe needles, including the rib and plain needles, and one or morereinforcing threads or yarns such as 9 which latter thread is knittedinto the fabric by the double sole and high splice plain needles onlyexcepting that a single rib needle at each side of the double sole andhigh splice areas also knits such reinforcing thread, the wales whichare knitted by such single dial needles being shown at 10 and 11.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the method of knitting the stocking or half hose shownin Fig. 1 has been disclosed in a more or less diagrammatic manner, andwherein are shown a long float 12 and a short float 13 of thereinforcing thread, such floats during the knitting of a previous coursehaving extended straight across the needle circle and then having beensevered by any suitable thread cutting mechanism not of itself anecessary part of the present invention; thereafter during the knittingcycle some means, such as a brush, engaged the long float l2, and causedsuch float to be brushed against the inner face of the high splice ordouble sole portion of the fabric as shown in Fig. 2. In said Figs. 2and 3 of the drawings, there is also shown a reinforcing thread guide 14which presents the reinforcing thread to the needles and withdraws thesame therefrom, the said guide 14 moving to and from feeding relationwith respect to the needles during each course of double sole and highsplice knitting. In Fig. 2 the guide 14-. is shown as just having beenmoved to an idle, non-feeding position within 'the circle of needleswhich circle is defined by the fabric loops shown in the said Theneedles and fabric rotate in the direction of the arrows, Figs. 2 and 3,and the dial needle which knits the wale 11 engages the reinforcingthread 9 in its hook where it remains until the next course of knittingwhen such dial needle knits the said reinforcing thread into the fabricin the usual manner. As will be noted by inspection of Fig. 2 the dialneedle, which would knit a rib Wale between the wale 11 and a wale 15,is maintained in an idle position and does not knit, the idling of suchdial needle permitting the thread guide 14 to be completely withdrawn tothe position shown in Fig. 2 before the dial needle, which correspondsto the wale 15, can engage such reinforcing thread and knit the sameinto the fabric. tation of the needles brings the fabric to the positionshown in Fig. 3 and at such time the thread guide 14 is moved to thefeeding position shown in said figure, the reinforcing thread havingbeen moved to feeding position between a plain wale 16 and the nextadjacent plain wale 17, the needle which knits the wale 17 as well asthe needles which knit the following plain wales, i. e.,

- the high splice and double sole needles, thereafter engaging andknitting the reinforcing thread throughout the high splice and doublesole area.

In order properly to tension the reinforcing thread and permit the plainplating needles to knit the same, the end of a float 12 is temporarilyheld by means of a clamp as indicated in Fig. 3 and thereafter asknitting is continued the float is engaged within the hook of the needlewhich knits the wale 10, such float being knitted into the fabric duringthe following course of knitting, the float 12 finally being positionedimmediately above the previously described float l2. Itis noted herethat it is not essential that the said reinforcing thread be knittedinto the fabric at the wale 10, but in orderto have the wales ad-.

jacent to the instep appear the same at the two sides of the stocking itis desirable to have the reinforcing thread knittedinto the fabric atthe wale 10.

It will be noted that the short ends 13 of the high'splice and doublesole floats lie between adjacent plain wales, one of which is indicatedat 18, and adjacent rib wales; and that the long 4 floats 12 of thereinforcing thread lie between the rib-wale 10 and an adjacent plainwale 19.

short butt rib needles being for the purpose of knitting the stockingshown in Fig. 1 as will be presently described. Some of the plainneedles 21 are provided with long upper ,butts 24 andothers of the saidplain needles'areprovided with short upper butts 25, the short buttcylinder needles being adapted to knit the heels and toes of stockingsin the usual manner while the long butt cylinder needles 21 are in anelevated, in-

active position. In addition to the upper butts on all of the plainneedles some of the said plain needles have lower butts 26"While othersof the said plain needles have lower 'halfebutts 27, and by half-buttsis meant butts about half the depth (lengthwise of the needles) ascompared with the depths of the butts 26. The others of Continued rotheplain needles have no lower butts. The relative arrangement of theneedles having the differentiated lower butts is variable depending uponthe character of fabric to be knitted and upon other conditions such asthe gauge of the machine.-

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 5 wherein the direction of rotation ofmovement of the needles and fabric is indicated by the arrows in therespective figures: the wales 28 and 29 correspond to the needles 28 and29' respectively, said needles having short upper butts and other, lowerbutts 26. These needles knit the high splice portion 4 and double soleportion 5 of each stocking and furthermore knit the heels and toes ofeach stocking. The next adjacent wales 30 and 31 are knitted by plainneedles 30 and 31 the said needles having long upper butts 24 and lowerbutts 26, the said needles being two of the needles between the point ofthe heel and the wale 11. The Wale 32 is the last plain wale adjacent tothe first rib wale 11, said wale 32 being knitted by the plain needle 32which plain needle is provided with a long upper butt 24 and, ifdesired, with a lower half-butt 2'7. On the other side of the first ribwale 11 are two plain wales 33 and 18 which wales are knitted by meansof needles 33' and 18' respectively, the needle 33 being provided with along upper butt 24 and a lower, half-butt 2'7, the adjacent needle 18having a long upper butt 24 but not having a lower butt.

Following the knitting of the wale 18 one and one rib fabric is knitteduntil the opposite side of the stocking reaches the knitting point. Atsuch side of the stocking double sole and high splice yarn or thread isknitted into the fabric together with the main yarn with all of thecylinder needles knitting, the dial needles being held in withdrawn,non-knitting position. Adjacent to the wale where the high splice anddouble sole thread is first knitted into the fabric, plain wales 34 and35 are knitted by means of plain needles 34, 35 respectively the firstof which has a long, upper butt 24, but does not have a lower butt whileneedle 35', has, in addition to the upper butt 24, a lower half-butt 27.The wales 36, 19 adjacent to the last rib wale 10 are knitted by meansof plain needles 36', 19' which have long, upper butts 24, the latteronly having a lower, half-butt 27. The wales following the wale 19 arethe wales 37 and 38 which are knitted by plain needles 37', 38respectively which needles each have long, upper butts 24 and lowerbutts 26, the said needles being the ones that knit the plain walesbetween the rib wale 10 and the point of the heel of a stocking; inother words while the needles 3'7, 38' are double sole needles, they areraised up out of action prior to the knitting of the heel. The wale 39and following wales are knitted by means of needles such as 39' whichneedles have short upper butts 25 and lowerbutts 26, the'said needlesknitting the double sole and high splice as well as the-heel and toe ofa stocking.

Throughout the double sole or high splice portion of a stocking, such asthat shown in Fig. 1, the plain needles draw their stitches oversinkers, while throughout the knitting of the one and one rib instep ofa stocking or half hose, the plain needles draw their stitches over theshanks of adjacent dial needles which shanks are above dill one rib inconjunction with the dial needles. And it is for the purpose ofprovidingfor such extra movement of the double sole or high splice plain needlesthat the butts 26, 27 are provided, the greater portion of the doublesole or high splice needleshaving butts 26 while a few (four hereinshown) have half-butts 27. Throughout the knittin of the high splice andgreater portion of the plain sole, nearly all of the plain needles arenot adjacent to'any dial needles. and for that reason their stitches arecompletelydrawn over the upper edges of adjacent sinkers, but theneedles 33 and 35' having dial needles adjacent thereto on one sideonly, draw their stitchesa over sinkers atone level and also over theshanks of dial needles at a higher level. For that reason it isnecessary to provide those needles with half-butts 27 so that a cam (notshown) may engage the said butts 27 and pull the said needles down ashort, additional distance, although it is not necessary that suchneedles be drawn so far down as the needles having the butts 26 aredrawn. The needles 19 and 32' knitting the wales l9 and 32 respectively,preferably, but not necessarily, are provided with half-butts 27.

Although as hereinbefore disclosed, the dial wale between the wales 35and 36 as well as the dial wales between wales 18 and 33 are omitted,nevertheless the dial wale between the wales 35 and 36 may be knitted ifdesired.

As herein disclosed the double sole and high splice are knitted with thedouble sole or high splice yarn, preferably, on the inside of thestocking; and when knitting plated work in the double sole and highsplice, the double sole yarn may be on the inside of the stocking orbetween the body and plating yarns, while throughout one and one ribcourses of the fabric the plating yarn shows on'the outer face thereofunless clocking or other effects are knitted into the fabric by reverseplating.

Although hereinbefore disclosed as being applied to a circular knittingmachine having independently movable needles, the invention may bepracticed on other-types of knitting machines, it not being theintention to limit the invention otherwise than by the terms of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A circular, knitted fabric some of the adjacent wales of which areknitted plain and others rib, the rib and adjacent plain wales beingadjacent to one another, the adjacent plain wales having knitted thereina reinforcing thread, at least one rib wale being omitted adjacent toone side of the fabric where the reinforced plain wales adjoin the ribwales.

2. A circular, knitted fabric consisting of a plurality of adjacentplain wales and a plurality of one and one rib wales adjoining theadjacent plain wales, an additional thread being knitted into theadjacent plain wales, one rib wale being omitted adjacent to one side ofthe fabric where the plain and rib wales adjoin one another.

3. A circular, knitted fabric consisting of a plurality of adjacentplain wales and a plurality of rib wales, said rib and adjacent plainwales adjoining one another, the adjacent plain wales having knittedtherein an additional thread, a

rib wale immediately adjacent to one end rib-wale being omitted.

4. A knitted fabric consisting of a plurality of adjacent plain and aplurality of one and one rib wales, the rib wales being non-reinforcedexcepting adjacent at least one end thereof where the end rib wale isreinforced and at least one rib wale is omitted, the adjacent plainwales being reinforced.

5. A method of knitting consisting in causing a plurality ofadjacentplain needles to knit a plurality of threads, and causing interspersedplain and rib needles to knit one and one rib fabric while maintainingat least one rib needle in an inactive position, whereby the adjacentplain needles knit the plurality of threads while the one and one riband plain needles knit a single thread only.

6. A knitted fabric, a plurality of adjacent wales of which are knittedone and one rib and a plurality of other adjacent wales of which areknitted plain but with a thread which is not knitted in the one and oneportion of the fabric, at least one rib wale other than the one and onerib wales being knitted into the fabric, a plurality of plain walesbeing on each side of said one rib wale.

7. A method of knitting partly rib and partly plain fabric consisting inknitting at least one thread into the rib portion of the fabric and saidthread and one additional thread into the plain portion thereof, andknitting the plain portion of the fabric by drawing the threads at acertain level and the plain wales of the rib fabric by drawing thethread at a higher level, and drawing a plain wale, which is between tworib wales, partly at one of said levels and partly at the other of saidlevels.

8. A stocking or half hose consisting of a rib leg, a one and one ribinstep and reinforced plated fabric in the portion of the stockingopposite the rib instep, one rib wale adjacent to one end rib wale atone side of the rib instep b ing omitted.

9. A stocking or half hose having an all one and one rib leg, a one andone rib instep, a portion of the stocking opposite the ribbed instepbeing reinforced, one rib wale being omitted between the rib instep andreinforced wales.

10. A method of knitting consisting in causing interspersed plain andrib needles to knit one and one rib fabric, thereafter causing aplurality of adjacent plain needles to knit a plurality of threads andcausing interspersed plain and rib needles to knit one and one ribfabric while maintaining at least one rib needle in an inactiveposition, whereby the adjacent plain needles knit the plurality ofthreads while the one and one rib and plain needles knit a single threadonly.

11. A method of knitting partly plain and partly one and one rib fabricconsisting in feeding a thread to the one and one rib needles and asecond thread to a series of adjacent plain needles with which one ormore end rib needles cooperate during the knitting of a plurality ofcourses, said end rib needle or needles being the last needle or needlesto knit the thread second mentioned, the thread thereafter beingwithdrawn to an inactive position where it is not knitted by thefollowing interspersed plain and rib needles.

12. A circularly knitted fabric consisting of adjacent plain Wales andone and one rib wales, the one and one rib wales being knitted with athread and the adjacent plain wales being knitted with one other thread,the first rib wale in the a led direction of knitting having knittedtherein the second mentioned thread, a rib wale adjacent thereto beingomitted.

13. A circularly knitted fabric partly plain and partly rib, the plainportion of the fabric consisting of a plurality of adjacent plain walesand the rib portion thereof consisting of one and one wales, the one andone rib wales being knitted with one thread and the plain fabric beingknitted with one other thread, the first rib wale inthe direction ofknitting having knitted therein the second mentioned thread, the twowales next adjacent thereto in the direction of knitting being plainwales.

14. A circularly knitted stocking or half hose consisting of a one andone all rib leg and a ribbed instep and reinforced, plain sole, theribbed instep consisting of one and one rib fabric and the reinforced,plain sole consisting of plain wales, one rib wale being adjacent to oneside of the stocking or half hose and two plain wales being between suchrib wale and the one and one ribbed instep.

15. A method of knitting partly rib and partly plain fabric consistingin knitting at least one thread into the rib portion thereof and saidthread and at least one additional thread into the plain portion andknitting the plain portion of the fabric by drawing the threads overinstrumentalities at, a certain level, and the plain wales of the ribfabric by drawing the thread over instrumentalities at a higher leveland knitting a plain Wale, which is between two rib wales, partly overone of the instrumentalities at the level first mentioned and partlyover one of the instrumentalities at the level second mentioned.

16. A circularly knitted fabric consisting of a series of adjacent plainwales and rib wales, the adjacent plain waleshaving knitted therein areinforcing thread which is knitted into the fabric by the first ribneedle (in the direction of knitting) but which reinforcing thread isnot knitted into the immediately following (in the direction ofknitting) rib wales.

' WILLIAM L. SMITH, JR.

